Republican candidates report smaller war chests, records show

Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico

This article was originally published by Source New Mexico.

Former U.S. Interior Secretary and New Mexico governor candidate Deb Haaland in the last six months raised nearly four times as much money as her opponent, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, as the two Democrats prepare to compete for the party’s nomination in the June 2 primary election.

Last Monday, April 13, marked the deadline for candidates to file campaign finance reports that detail the last six months of fundraising efforts. Haaland’s campaign finance report showed that she raised more than $4.1 million in that time period. By comparison, Bregman’s campaign finance report showed he raised more than $1.2 million in the same time period.

The Secretary of State’s website posted many candidates’ campaign finance reports shortly after receiving them ahead of Monday’s deadline. Haaland’s did not properly load until nearly 2 p.m. Tuesday — and the report was nearly 13,000 pages long. The office, last October, told Source Haaland’s donation records had overwhelmed its system.

Since launching her bid for New Mexico’s highest elected office, the Haaland campaign said it raised about $11.1 million and still has more than $4.3 million on hand. Bregman’s filings show he raised a total of about $3.7 million and has about $853,000 left. That gives Haaland a nearly five-to-one advantage over Bregman in terms of cash on hand.

“I understand how hard it is to earn a dollar — and I appreciate everyone who believes in my vision for New Mexico and has supported my campaign for governor,” Haaland, who has spoken on the campaign trail about her experience as a working single mother, said in a statement. “As the most experienced candidate, I will stand up to Donald Trump, protect New Mexicans from harmful ICE policies, and lower costs so families can afford both rent and groceries in the same month.”

Her campaign said in a statement that more than 23,000 contributions came from New Mexicans.

While Haaland outperformed Bregman nearly three-to-one at the Democratic pre-primary convention in March and has consistently raised more money, a spokesperson for Bregman’s campaign said more of his support comes from New Mexico donors.

Spokesperson Joanie Griffin in an email to Source NM said she believes more than 80% of Haaland’s donations came from outside New Mexico. Approximately 20% of Haaland’s reported campaign contributions in her report last October came from New Mexico residents, with the rest coming from nearly every state in the U.S., and a healthy chunk from her congressional campaign account.

“Elections aren’t decided by who starts with the most money. They’re decided by who connects with voters and earns their trust. Eighty percent of our donors are from New Mexico, and Sam is building a broad, statewide coalition rooted in working families, small businesses and New Mexicans who are frustrated with the status quo and politics as usual,” Griffin wrote. “We’ve raised nearly $4 million and that’s something to be proud of. Sam isn’t a celebrity or a national figure with built-in networks. That support has been earned, piece by piece, from people who believe in his record and his leadership.”

Republicans post smaller fundraising figures

The three Republicans running to be New Mexico’s next governor reported smaller fundraising efforts in their Monday reports. 

Public relations professional Doug Turner reported raising nearly $503,000 in the last six months. In a statement, he said he has more cash on hand than both of his opponents combined.

“What we’ve built in 12 weeks is just the beginning,” Turner said in a statement. “This is a clear sign that our message of cutting personal and gross receipts taxes, fixing education, and making our communities safe is resonating with New Mexicans. Our campaign is igniting a powerful coalition that stretches from our largest cities to our smallest communities.”

Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, who won 55% of the delegates at the Republican pre-primary convention, raised nearly $145,000 in the last six months, according to his campaign finance report. Former state cabinet secretary and hospital executive-turned cannabis CEO Duke Rodriguez reported raising just more than $501,000 — though his report shows $500,000 of that came from Rodriguez himself.

Joshua Bowling is a senior reporter for Source New Mexico. He's reported in New Mexico, where he broke stories of lavish spending at Western New Mexico University and more, since 2022.